Adam Ruege

DEGREE: MSW ‘02

CAREER: Coordinator, Community Outreach Division, Homeless Veterans Programs, Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center, Columbus, OH

NOTABLE:  Adam Ruege, LISW-S, has dedicated his career to ending homelessness among Veterans in Columbus, OH.  He has worked in a variety of roles at the Department of Veterans Affairs and has been at the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center since 2004. He currently serves as the manager of Homeless Veterans Programs and Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Adam believes that social work’s role with Veterans follows them throughout their entire lives—from when they are on active duty in combat, to when they are transitioning back home, to when they need therapy or help navigating a complicated benefits system. Adam is proud to be one of the social workers helping Veterans face all of these challenges.
 

Colleen Dempsey

 DEGREE: MSW ‘12

CAREER: Southeast, Inc.

NOTABLE: In 2010, Colleen Dempsey helped organize The Student Café: Conversations for Change initiative, which ultimately led to a special invitation from the White House. This student-run event allowed legislators and students to come together for a rare opportunity to talk with each other about the Ohio budget and the long-term consequences of some of the proposed budget cuts. The event gained national attention and the group was one of ten groups invited to Washington, D.C., for a meeting with President Barack Obama and other high-ranking policy makers. That is, ten groups out of almost 400--it was an extraordinary honor! Today, Colleen does most of her advocating on a smaller scale in her work as a child and family counselor, making sure individuals have access to the treatment they need. She still thinks big, and after the success of the Student Café, she knows she has the ability, with the support of others, to turn those thoughts into actions.

Alumni Spotlight

The Ohio State social work alumni are achieving excellence in the human and public services, in higher education, and, most importantly, in alleviating the conditions that threaten the human condition.

This web page will help you find out what your classmates and other social work alumni are accomplishing. But don’t stop there. We want to learn what you’re doing, too—professionally and personally.

To submit your story, send e-mail to spinks.8@osu.edu or letters to Katie Spinks, Director of Alumni Relations, College of Social Work, 313 Stillman Hall, 1947 N. College Road, Columbus, OH 43210. We want to hear from you!

Featured Alumni